UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State baseball team plated four runs in the sixth and seventh innings to earn an 11-5 win over Michigan State on Saturday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Jesse Jaconski drove in six runs, including a solo homer in the third and a grand slam in the sixth. The Nittany Lions evened the series with the Spartans and improved to 16-6 overall (5-3 Big Ten), while Michigan State dropped to 15-7 overall (2-3 Big Ten).
Penn State tallied 10+ runs for the 14th time this season. In program history, PSU has posted 14 games of 10+ runs in a season on six previous occasions (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2023, 2024).
Mason Horwat made his fifth start of the year for the Nittany Lions, working six innings to pick up the win. He gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits. Horwat allowed three walks. Anthony Steele fired three shutout innings to earn the save. Steele allowed no hits and struck out two.
Nolan Higgins got the start for the Spartans, going 4.2 innings. He allowed five runs (two earned) on four hits. He did not allow a hit to the first eight batters of the game. Garrett Brewer went one inning, giving up four runs on two hits and two walks. Zach Maxey allowed two runs over 1.2 innings before Ryan Szcepaniak got the final two outs of the eighth.
Penn State tallied 11 runs on eight hits. Jesse Jaconski launched a solo homer and a grand slam, while adding a sac fly for six RBI. Cohl Mercado and Nate Voss both tripled and scored, while Joe Jaconski and Jack Porter had a hit and two runs.
Jesse Jaconski’s grand slam was Penn State’s fifth slam of the season (Kling vs. Richmond; Voss vs. VCU; Molinaro, Kling vs. Indiana).
Jaconski had Penn State’ first six-RBI day since his brother, Joe, had six RBI against Northwestern on April 7, 2024.
Michigan State tallied five runs on seven hits. Will Shannon had two hits, including an RBI single. Sam Busch doubled and scored twice.
The Spartans got on the board in the second. Busch led off the inning with a double to the corner in right. A groundout moved Busch to third. Another grounder on the left side resulted in a fielder’s choice and Busch being safe at home with the help of an error. Michigan State led 1-0.
Penn State tied the game in the third. With two outs, Jesse Jaconski blasted a 1-1 pitch over the wall in center. The 404-foot homer evened the game at 1-1.
Michigan State re-took the lead in the fourth. Busch worked a walk. Shannon shot a single through the right side before a sac bunt moved the runners to second and third. Nick Williams lifted a fly ball to right for a sac fly to bring in Busch. An error on the play allowed Shannon to score and give MSU a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans added two runs in the fifth. JT Sokolove reached an a leadoff single to center. Ryan McKay draw a walk. A single through the left side by Caleb Berry drove in Sokolove. Two batters later, Shannon reached on an infield single to bring in McKay. MSU led 5-1.
Penn State evened the game in the bottom of the fifth. Joe Jaconski and Porter singled to begin the frame. A walk by Cole Wagner loaded the bases. Matt Maloney reached on a fielder’s choice to allow Jaconski to score. Jesse Jaconski also reached on a fielder’s choice to bring in Porter. A third-straight fielder’s choice resulted in Maloney on third and Mercado on first. A single to left by Ryan Weingartner brought in Maloney and an error on the play allowed Mercado to hustle home. The game was tied at 5-5.
The Nittany Lions took the lead in the sixth. Joe Jaconski worked a walk before Porter was hit by a pitch. A balk moved the runners to second and third before a walk by Voss loaded the bases. Jesse Jaconski launched his second homer of the day, this time a grand slam to left. The 413-foot blast put PSU ahead, 9-5.
Penn State added a run in the seventh. Paxton Kling led off the frame with a single to left. He stole second before moving to third on a groundout. Joe Jaconski lifted a fly ball to deep center for a sac fly as Kling scored. PSU extended its lead to 10-5.
The Blue and White scored again in the eighth. Voss’ line drive got past the left fielder as Voss raced to third for a triple. Jesse Jaconski poked a fly ball into right for a sac fly to bring in pinch-runner Joey DeMucci to push the lead to 11-5.
The Nittany Lions and the Spartans conclude the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. for Bark in the Park, in honor of National Puppy Day. Sunday will also feature postgame kids run the bases.
Sunday’s game will be broadcast on B1G+.
All home games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park are free admission for all ages.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.